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Sleeping on your back is often seen as the second-most-popular sleeping position, right after side sleepers. This is why it probably won’t come as a surprise that there’s a pretty significant demand within the industry for sleeping products and accessories that would be tailored around back sleepers. The best pillow for back sleepers is just one of them.

Since it can be somewhat difficult to find a pillow that would suit all of your wants and expectations, we’ve assembled a list of the top back sleeper pillows on the market. If you combine them with a proper mattress, you should be able to reduce the risk of developing sleep issues, and be able to get a solid night’s worth of sleep.

The list looks, as follows:

Here is The Best Saatva Offer I Found:

Best Pillow for Back Sleepers: The Criteria

As with any other sleep-related product out there, there are certain, specific criteria that the “best pillow for back sleepers” should meet.

First of all, back sleepers are a group of people who are going to need a pretty firm pillow. While firmness is somewhat relative (each person has their own, specific firmness preferences), a 6-7 out of 10 on a firmness scale should be just right for these sleepers.

Also, loft height is super-important. While back sleeping pillows might not necceserilly have as high of a loft as, say, those that are catered around side sleepers, most back sleepers are still going to prefer a product with a significant loft.

Best pillow for back sleepers: back sleeper.

You’ll notice that most top-tier pillows on the current market are fully customizable. What this means is that you’ll be able to adjust both the firmness and the loft height of your pillow as soon as it arrives in the mail.

That’s pretty awesome, since some of these products can then not only compete for the spot of the “best pillow for back sleepers”, but also for other sleeping positions, too.

Finally, whenever you’re looking for the best pillows for back sleepers, keep in mind all of the other important features of a good pillow, in general: hypoallergenic materials, temperature neutrality, moldability and shape retention, ease of cleaning, and so on.

With all of that said, you should now have a pretty good idea of what the best pillow for back sleepers should look like. See if you’ll be able to find one on the list ahead!

Tsao-Lin E. Moy

Licensed Acupuncturist & Certified Chinese Herbalist

What can be done to make sleeping more comfortable for people who are experiencing back pain?

With back pain, it is important to be proactively working on overall health, such as diet and exercise, mobility, stabilizing, and strengthening. What we do during the day will make a difference when it is time to sleep. A mattress should support quality sleep, which in turn reduces inflammation and helps with growth hormone production and tissue repair.

1. Layla - Great Temperature Neutrality

Ranks #1 out of 6 Mattresses

If you’re a devout back sleeper, there are a few different reasons why you’ll appreciate the Layla pillow.

First of all, the pillow is filled with a mixture of memory foam and kapok tree fibers. Combine that with a copper-infused cover, and you get yourself a very cool pillow - both figuratively, and literally speaking. You shouldn’t face any “heatwaves” while sleeping on this Layla product.

Furthermore, the pillow has a pretty high loft, even though it’s not exactly the firmest pillow out there. Softness isn’t quite the quality that you’d be looking for in a contender for the spot of the best pillow for back sleepers, but most customers don’t seem to have too big of a problem with this.

Finally, Layla is as moldable as such pillows can get. If you’re always searching for that specific way to tuck and fold your pillow during the night, this product will allow you to do just that, without any hassle.

The only real issue that’s often associated with this product is that, as far as back sleeper pillow go, it can be a bit annoying to clean. You see, the only way to really clean the Layla pillow is by spot-cleaning it. It’s not a deal-breaker for most people, but it can get pretty annoying, quite fast.

What is the Price of the Layla Pillow?

Out of all the back sleeping pillows on this list, Layla is a bit higher-priced than usual. The pricing and sizing options for the pillow are:

While the price tags are a bit higher than for your average, high-quality pillow, Layla does offer a generous 120-night trial and a very generous 5-year warranty. That’s not a bad deal!

Visit Layla Pillow
...or read our Layla Pillow review

2. Saatva - A Fully-Customizable Pillow

Ranks #2 out of 6 Mattresses

It’s no secret that Saatva is one of the most well-known and respected mattress providers within the industry. The company offers some amazing, old-school innerspring beds, with a luxurious and modern twist. In the same way as many other mattress brands out there, Saatva has expanded its reach and created the Saatva pillow.

Given the fact that we’re talking about it in this “best pillow for back sleepers” article, I probably don’t need to tell you that this expansion was a success.

Originally, when I was writing the Saatva pillow review, I had noticed that customers who prefer sleeping on their backs were somewhat unsure about their feelings towards this product. Most people were satisfied, but that was kind of it. Now, however, it would appear that these customers have really come around and are starting to appreciate the pillow.

So, what’s so special about the Saatva pillow as far as the best pillow for back sleepers is concerned?

Well, for starters, the pillow is fully customizable. As soon as you receive the Saatva pillow, you’ll be able to add or remove as much insert as you’d like to and from it. This, in turn, means that you’ll be able to change the height of the loft.

By default, however, the Saatva pillow has a pretty high loft. Needless to say, when it comes to back sleeper pillows, this is a pretty good feature.

Furthermore, you’ll also be able to customize the actual firmness of the product in question. This way, the Saatva pillow becomes one of the best product for any back sleeper that values their proper spine alignment and wants to sleep comfortably, at the same time.

What is the Price of the Saatva Pillow?

Admittedly, the pricing of the Saatva pillow is probably the most controversial topic surrounding the product.

You see, there is an unwritten consensus within the pillow industry - the average price for a top-tier pillow product should be around $90-$100. Most pillows you’ll find are going to be cheaper, but there are a few pricey products that boost that average up. Saatva is one of them.

There are two pricing and sizing options for the Saatva pillow:

As you can see for yourself, the prices aren’t… ideal. If you’re looking for the best pillow for back sleepers and have a pretty limited budget, these numbers can really leave a pretty bad taste in your mouth.

However, Saatva has managed to build a very solid name for itself - both with their mattresses, and with the pillow product. Customers who have bought the Saatva pillow agree that the quality does match the price tag.

Visit Saatva Pillow
...or read our Saatva Pillow review

3. Helix - A Special, Back Sleeper-Oriented Pillow

Ranks #3 out of 6 Mattresses

Helix offers customers a very special pillow called the Wedge Pillow.

As the name likely implies, the product is shaped like a wedge. This has some very specific and unique benefits that it can bring to the sleeper.

The pillow provides optimal head and neck support when you’re lying on your back. It’s rather big, so even if you have some broad shoulders, there shouldn’t be any difficulty fitting your upper body in the proper and comfortable position whilst lying on the pillow.

Reading through some customer reviews, it would seem that most people use this pillow while watching TV or reading some book. It can, however, be very practical for sleeping, too - however, you would have to be sure that your dominant sleeping position is on your back (since twisting on your sides or stomach is likely out of the question).

It’s worth noting that the Helix Wedge Pillow can also be used for leg support, too. It provides proper back support, and also helps at alleviating some pesky pressure points that might be plaguing you from your old bed.

What is the Price of the Helix Pillow?

The Wedge pillow is going to cost you $95, and is only available in Standard size. You do also receive free shipping, a 100-night sleep trial, and also a 1-year warranty.

Visit Helix Wedge Pillow

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4. Purple - A Very Unique Pillow

Ranks #4 out of 6 Mattresses

The Purple pillow is one of the most unique products on the entire pillow market.

The uniqueness starts with the material from which the pillow is made from. That would be the Smart Comfort (or simply - Purple) Grid - a special type of food-grade material that has some top-notch features.

For starters, the pillow is going to exceed vastly in the cooling and breathability department. This is due to the hundreds of holes found within the Purple Grid - if you’re a hot sleeper, you can rest assured that the Purple pillow is surely one of the coolest-sleeping products on the market.

Due to the differences of firmness around the edges and at the center of the pillow, it’s amazing at retaining its shape and providing top-tier support for your head and neck.

The best part of the pillow in question (at least as far as different sleeping positions are concerned) is the fact that it arrives with two “Boosters”. These boosters can be used in order to heighten or lower the pillow’s loft - in return, the product becomes much more appealing to different types of sleepers, including those who primarily sleep on their backs.

What is the Price of the Purple Pillow?

The Purple pillow is going to cost you $109. There’s also a 1-year warranty, 100 nights worth of sleep trial, and free shipping included, too!

Visit Purple Pillow
...or read our Purple Pillow review

5. Leesa - A Flippable Hybrid

Ranks #5 out of 6 Mattresses

As far as the best pillow for back sleepers is concerned, Leesa offers a pretty unique option - a flippable, hybrid pillow.

Flippable pillows are pretty rare, and they are hard to “pull off”. However, judging by the customer feedback, Leesa has managed to do this pretty well. Flipping the pillow will provide different firmness options, which is a rare benefit that pillow products have!

The product also sleeps cool, and has a medium loft. While it can be a bit too low for some, most back sleepers should still find it comfortable enough for their head and neck support.

What is the Price of the Leesa Pillow?

According to general opinion, Leesa is considered to be in the very middle as far as pricing is concerned - not cheap, but not too expensive, either. The pricing for this contender for the spot of the best pillow for back sleepers is:

For this price, you’ll also receive a 100-night sleep trial and a 3-year warranty. A pretty good deal!

Visit Leesa Pillow
...or read our Leesa Pillow review

6. Coop Home Goods - Very Affordable

Ranks #6 out of 6 Mattresses

If you’ve spent any time researching the different products within the pillow industry, you might have noticed that Coop Home Goods is a brand that keeps coming up time and time again. Without a doubt, it is one of the most well-known pillow providers that aren’t dominating the mattress industry at the same time.

With Coop, you’ll have two choices - either the original pillow, or the Coop Eden. When it comes to best pillows for back sleepers, though, you’re going to want to look at the original pillow.

The Coop pillow sleeps very cool, is stuffed with shredded memory foam and is completely adjustable. You can add or remove stuffing in order to reach the perfect level of comfort, firmness and loft height for yourself.

By default, however, the Coop original pillow is going to be quite a bit firmer than its Eden counterpart. Don’t forget - if you’re a back sleeper, a firm pillow (according to research done by A. Radwan and colleagues - a medium-firm mattress, too) is going to be your best bet at keeping your spine properly aligned and reducing any and all back pains you might have.

What is the Price of the Coop Original Pillow?

Many customers would actually tell you that the pricing options are among the best features of the Coop Home GOod Original pillow. Take a look yourself:

Yup - that’s a pretty good deal indeed. While it’s one of the most beloved pillows on the market, in general, it’s also very affordable.

Visit Coop Home Goods
...or read our Coop Home Goods review

Here is The Best Saatva Offer I Found:

Conclusions

So - that’s the list of contenders for the spot of the best pillow for back sleepers. While the choice does ultimately lie on your own, personal wants and needs, all of the pillows on this list should, in one way or another, fit most back sleepers out there.

If you want to improve your sleep even further, you could also consider purchasing a brand new mattress, too!


Other Less Favoured Mattresses in This Category

Here are other mattresses related to the category but not as favoured by MyBestMattress readers yet. In my personal opinion, today there are much more optimal mattresses in the list with the higher rating that I'd recommend for the same price range or less.

Tuft and Needle - High Loft and Medium Firm Feel

In the same way as the majority of other brands on this list, Tuft & Needle is primarily a mattress-selling company. However, many side and back sleepers would likely tell you that they are very happy that the brand decided to branch out and start selling their own pillows.

One of the more interesting things that the Tuft and Needle pillow brings to the “best pillow for back sleepers” lists is that it’s NOT a customizable pillow. This means that you won’t be able to insert or remove stuffing from the pillow - what you get is what you’re going to have to deal with.

Thankfully, though, the Tuft and Needle pillow’s default loft and firmness options make it very suitable for the spot of the best pillow for back sleepers.

The pillow comes with a pretty high loft, and is most commonly considered to be “medium-firm”. While the firmness might be up for debate, most back sleepers are going to agree that the loft height of the product is just right.

On top of all of that, many customers note that the Tuft and Needle pillow is very moldable. While this is a feature that’s likely going to be most appreciated by side sleepers, it’s definitely a cool addition for a back sleeping pillow, too. If you like to tuck your pillow around in your sleep, this product will be perfect for you.

What is the Price of the Tuft and Needle Pillow?

As far as the pricing options for the Tuft and Needle pillow are concerned, most customers state that they are very “in the middle” - the pillow isn’t exactly the most affordable product that you’d be able to find online, but it’s also definitely not too expensive.

The prices are, as follows:

  • Standard - $75
  • King - $100

In addition to the prices being pretty good, you’ll also receive a 3-year warranty and a 100-night trial as soon as your order the Tuft and Needle pillow. While the trial is somewhat common with high-level pillow providers, a 3-year warranty is quite generous. Definitely a great option as far as the best pillows for back sleepers are concerned!

Tsao-Lin E. Moy

Licensed Acupuncturist & Certified Chinese Herbalist

Contributed By Tsao-Lin E. Moy, Licensed Acupuncturist & Certified Chinese Herbalist

Tsao-Lin has over 18 years of experience as an expert in alternative and Chinese medicine. She is licensed in Acupuncture and holds a Master in Oriental Medicine. She is the founder of Integrative ...

Read Full Bio...

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Recent Best Pillow for Back Sleepers User Reviews

4.8/5.0 - Purple Pillow Owner
2024-03-01

no more sore

Waking up beatifully without feeling sore at my neck and shoulder

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4.6/5.0 - Purple Pillow Owner
2024-03-01

reduce my pain

This pillow help me to reduce shoulder and neck pain.

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5.0/5.0 - Layla Pillow Owner
2024-02-27

Thanks

Indeed, this review was very helpful, i will give it a try.

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4.9/5.0 - Saatva Pillow Owner
2024-02-25

The quality is there!

I completely agree with you, it may be expensive, but the quality is there.

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5.0/5.0 - Leesa Pillow Owner
2024-02-24

The odor wasn’t a big deal for me

I had some odors for few hours when i first bought the Leesa pillow, however, thr problem was fixed few days later.

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5.0/5.0 - Leesa Pillow Owner
2024-02-22

Very customizable

The Hybrid Leesa pillow is the most customizable i’ve ever seen, it provides you with an incredible neck support

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5.0/5.0 - Leesa Pillow Owner
2024-02-22

Awesome pillow

I’ve really enjoyed it, it’s suitable for everyone.

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5.0/5.0 - Leesa Pillow Owner
2024-02-21

I’m enjoying it!

Yeah, it’s cool to sleep on and very comfortable, i’m really enjoying it

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5.0/5.0 - Purple Pillow Owner
2024-02-20

Love it!

Gonna love it anyway!

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5.0/5.0 - Coop Home Goods Owner
2024-02-20

I really liked it

Oh i really liked this one! I do recommend it

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4.6/5.0 - Purple Pillow Owner
2024-02-19

awesome technology

The Smart Comfort Grid Technology is really awesome! It's make the pillow really comfortable!

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5.0/5.0 - Coop Home Goods Owner
2024-02-15

Affordable prices

The prices are obviously affordable given the quality of the products, and compared to the other top-tier pillows.

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5.0/5.0 - Layla Pillow Owner
2024-02-15

Personal experience

This pillow is so comfortable, buy it without hésitation.

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4.8/5.0 - Coop Home Goods Owner
2024-02-14

Odors lasted for days

It's not as perfect as i hoped, odors lasted for many days, but for the rest everything is good.

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5.0/5.0 - Purple Pillow Owner
2024-02-14

good support

im so in loveee with this pillow. It provide really good support, especially to my neck and head!

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5.0/5.0 - Layla Pillow Owner
2024-02-12

Insane features

I enjoy sleeping with this pillow, it's really worth its price.

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4.7/5.0 - Leesa Pillow Owner
2024-02-10

Great pillow but…

I can’t name a better pillow, however, the prices are not affordable for everyone.

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5.0/5.0 - Leesa Pillow Owner
2024-02-10

Very easy to wash

In addition to all other great features, the fact that it’s easy to watch is very important.

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4.9/5.0 - Saatva Pillow Owner
2024-02-09

It's worth it!

I understand prices are higher than average, but the upsides also are higher than average.

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4.0/5.0 - Purple Pillow Owner
2024-02-08

warranty

nice to have a year warranty

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FAQ

What are the main criteria for a proper back sleeper pillow?

Any decent pillow for back sleepers is going to have a relatively high loft, and be somewhat firm. Both of these features are going to help you make sure that your spine is properly aligned all throughout the night, and that you won't develop neck or back pains. Additionally, do make sure that the pillow is up-to-par with most of the other, best-pillow-overall essential features.

What's the average price for a good back sleeper pillow?

If you've read any other pillow reviews online, you might have noticed that most top-tier pillows are priced at around the $100 mark. Some are more affordable, and others can get quite a bit more expensive.

What does pillow "breathability" mean?

Whenever a pillow is "breathable", it means that either the cover, or the insert of the pillow (or both) are made in a way that doesn't obstruct airflow and keeps the pillow itself cool throughout the night.

What is the average price of a decent pillow?

While there is some debate around this topic online, the general consensus seems to be that the average price for a top-tier pillow product ranges at around the $100 mark. That said, you can definitely purchase a great pillow for much cheaper.

Should I purchase a single pillow?

While many people don't know this, you should always purchase two pillows (they can both be different, depending on your sleeping position and personal preference). The second pillow should go either between your legs or under your lower back area, so that your spine would remain perfectly aligned during the night.

Can one pillow only be suitable for a single sleeping position?

No. The same pillow can be great for all of the main sleeping positions. It all depends on the pillow's design, whether or not it has an adjustable loft and firmness level, and so on. That said, you should always double-check whether a pillow that you're opting to purchase is suitable for your sleeping position or not.